Kelimutu National Park Is Closed During Eid Al-Fitr Holiday

Kelimutu Lake (Instagram: btn_kelimutu)

JAKARTA - The Kelimutu National Park Office will temporarily close the tourist area of Lake Kelimutu during the Eid holidays from 10-17 May 2021. The closure was carried out to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the area.

"We learn from previous years, usually during the Lebaran or Eid Al-Fitr holidays the number of tourists visiting can reach more than 3,000 per day, even though our capacity can only accommodate 400 tourists," said Head of Kelimutu National Park, Agus Sitepu, as quoted from Antara, Saturday, May 8.

He explained that due to a large number of tourists to the location, the crowds occurred not only at the top of Lake Kelimutu but also in the parking area, so that it would be prone to transmission, especially in a pandemic situation like this.

Agus added that based on the results of the meeting with the local government, the Regent of Ende appealed for the closure to be carried out starting on Thursday, May 6.

"But because the letter just came out, we asked that the closure be carried out on May 10," he said.

Agus apologized to the visitors for the closure. But according to him, this was the right decision to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Although the decision to open tourist areas is not prohibited by the central government during the homecoming ban for Eid Al-Fitr 1442 Hijriah. Moreover, he said, the trend of positive COVID-19 cases in Ende Regency according to the COVID-19 Task Force report was quite high.

"The decision to close is also the result of coordination and meetings with the Ende Regency COVID-19 response task force. Moreover, Kelimutu National Park already has a CHSE certificate," he said.